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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28293954">apricity</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Art School, Cheesy, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Eventual Relationships, Fluff, M/M, New York City, Romance, Slice of Life, Winter, basically mark asks donghyuck to be his boyfriend on christmas eve, jcc ep 25 awoke something in me, johnny bakes cookies here</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:28:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,902</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28293954</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>With Christmas eve fast approaching as the first snow falls in New York City, the general idea of finding a Christmas gift fit for Donghyuck worries Mark, but what’s possibly more intimidating is asking the to be his boyfriend. Johnny and Ten don’t help, they never do. But at least this time Johnny attempts to bake cookies.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Suh Youngho | Johnny, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>94</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>apricity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p><b>Apricity</b> can be defined as the warmth of the sun in winter, in this case, Lee Donghyuck.</p>
</div><p>
  <b></b>
</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>☆</p>
</div>“So will we be expecting a plus one?”<p>Mark chokes on his coffee upon hearing Ten’s words, it’s funny how a few weeks can shift the entire trajectory of their relationship. It’s almost as if they’re his older sibling now. He wipes the corners of his lips with his sleeve much to the older’s irritance before responding.</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“I mean, will we be expecting Donghyuck at Christmas dinner? Should I be pulling out an extra chair?” </p><p>Now Ten’s never been one to mince words and it’s not like Mark’s ever considered how them finally becoming friends could change that.</p><p>“No! He’s not even my boyfriend.” Mark argues to the screen, several people at the cafe stare at him but he’s gone far past the point of feeling embarassed of doing stupid crap in public. Donghyuck’s changed that, he supposes.</p><p>“You know Ten never said Donghyuck was your boyfriend.” It’s Johnny’s turn to speak up, Mark rolls his eyes as his very own older brother rolls into frame, he’s wearing an apron and holding a large wooden spoon (What Mark assumes to be large as his brother’s hands seem to mess with everything in proportion to size) while stirring what seems to be hard cookie dough. Huh. </p><p>“Oh shut up hyung.” Mark snaps causing Ten to roll back in laughter and their phone to slam to the ground, blurring the camera screen to black. “You know I don’t mean it like that.” </p><p>“But when will you mean it like that?” Ten asks, lifting an eyebrow as he fixes his camera setup.</p><p>“I don’t know, we’ll see, I have to see him in like half an hour, so, I’ll let you know, soon.” Mark mutters as he notices that Ten has got flour on his dyed blond hair. But before he can say anything, his earphones blare with the sound of Johnny’s full body laughter. Nothing new he supposes. “Anyways, I’ve got to go, you know they’re going to kill me if I’m late.”</p><p>“Alright, make sure you finish your project Mark!” Ten reminds him as they wave their hand at the camera. Muffled, Mark himself listens to Johnny call his boyfriend a dad much to the former’s demise. </p><p>“For your information, I definitely dress better than any middle aged Asian man could!”</p><p>And that’s the last thing Mark hears as the call hangs up, he smiles as he slips his phone into his pocket and packs up his things into his worn out Jansport backpack. Now onto Donghyuck, Donghyuck. It’s quite literally the day before Christmas eve and he still hasn’t got a clue what he’s going to get them for the big day. A part of him tells him not to stress and to get a gift card but this is Donghyuck we’re talking about, he is definitely not going to say yes to a gift card. </p><p>The subway ride to Donghyuck’s dorm isn’t that long, Mark knows this for a fact, he’s been there a handful of times but it doesn’t deter him from the fact that it’s freezing outside. Sure, Chicago’s got cold winters but they haven’t got anything on New York ones. His teeth chatter as the train makes its way through the dim tunnels back to 6 5th Avenue, Mark’s phone buzzes every so often, he ignores it though, he knows it’s probably just Lucas sending a flood of pictures from his dining table back home. </p><p>Mark hums along to the tune of a Christmas song that another passenger is playing a bit too loudly on their airpods as he fixes his red beanie, a gift Johnny gave him on his birthday many years ago, what could he possibly get Donghyuck? Clothes are certainly not on the list, they’re a fashion design major for crying out loud and Mark’s idea of high end fashion is that kind of too tight dress shirt his mother got him on sale from Kohl’s last time she visited. Food’s just, food’s just off the table, Mark knows he can’t cook for shit either. </p><p>So what’s there? What’s there. A song? They’re definitely not that far along in their relationship yet. Relationship? Mark stops himself there, he’s not digging another hole for himself out of nothing. Instead he places his own earbuds and cozies in, a few more stops and he’ll be with Hyuck.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>☆</p>
</div>Fortunately, Mark does not have to stray far from the subway station to see a familiar tuft of beachy waves because Lee Donghyuck is currently sat cross armed opposite the entrance. Admittedly, he does look kind of cute with his plain white shirt, outrageously ripped skinny jeans paired with black fishnets and leather jacket. A miracle how he’s not freezing his balls off, Mark thinks as he jogs up to him, he’s got four layers and he still can’t feel his toes.<p>“Hey, so do you want to grab coffee or?” </p><p>“Mark, you’ve got a coffee in your hand, let’s just walk.” Donghyuck laughs, it’s a melodic one, one that can’t help but bring a wisp of joy to Mark’s face. The shorter of the two intertwining their hands as they make their way through the throng of people. </p><p>The streets are packed with groups of tourists making their way from 7th Avenue and Time Square. There’s a huge line snaking around the fancy Apple store a few blocks away but Mark’s no longer a tourist, he’s been here for half a year. It’s strange really, what used to be a childhood dream of his finally coming to fruition.</p><p>“So what do you want for Christmas?” Mark asks, his free hand fidgeting with his nails.</p><p>“You’re asking me this late?” Donghyuck retorts, spinning his head around to face the older. </p><p>“Well, I don’t know-“ </p><p>“To answer you, I’m not sure, surprise me.” Donghyuck tells him as they filter past a handful of people taking pictures at a crosswalk, “I’ve already got your thing sorted out, I think you’ll love it.” He adds with a confident yet cheeky grin.</p><p>Now Mark’s truly fucked, it’s currently 3 in the evening and if he can manage to end his date (He supposes it’s a date, is it?) with Hyuck in two hours, he knows he still has some time to pick out something.</p><p>“That’s a relief because I’m going to be honest here, I have no clue what to get you.” Mark announces, causing Donghyuck to roll their eyes.</p><p>“Mark!”</p><p>“Seriously, no clue.”</p><p>The afternoon goes on like that, them just strolling around the area, window shopping for expensive watches and designer bags they know they’ll never afford and secretly find obnoxious. Donghyuck insists on people watching and they do, creating stories of fiction about the intimidating man walking out of Neiman Marcus gripping his briefcase tightly and the lady clutching her doggy carrier purse contraption for dear life. They both gasp when the sense of sonder hits them but they laugh it off, Mark finds it easy to not have to lie with Donghyuck, it’s nice to let his shoulders loose. Biomed students can get pretentious, perhaps too much for his own liking.</p><p>“Hey, so why didn’t you head back home?” Donghyuck questions naively, mouth full of turkey sandwich as he swings his legs from where they’re sat, perched on the corner of a fountain. “You’re not back in Chicago.” </p><p>“Oh well my parents flew to Seoul for the holidays, family business, so I’m stuck here.” Mark explains before he places his hotdog on his lap, probably a foul decision but he’s a bit too tired to think.</p><p>“Have you been there?”</p><p>“Yeah but like, a really long time ago.” The older boy answers in response, last time they went he wasn’t even a teen, they’ve never really been the type of family to visit yearly or anything. Everyone in the close rim was here, that in itself is both happy and sad Mark tells himself. Bittersweet.</p><p>“Me too, it’s been a while.” Donghyuck nods in agreement, he takes the final bite of his sandwich before proceeding to crumple his wax paper and shoves it in his pocket much to Mark’s shock. “Oh shut it, I’ll chuck it in Renjun’s compost bin later.” </p><p>“So have you got any plans tomorrow?” Mark offers quietly, this is it.</p><p>“Not really, I was supposed to head home later on but I was told this morning that my parents took my siblings to Mexico last week so I suppose I’ll be having a New York Christmas this year.” Donghyuck shrugs causing Mark to choke on his cold (far too cold) coffee mid-sip. The audacity to say something so, bizarre, so nonchalantly. </p><p>“That’s-“ </p><p>“It’s fine, my mom told me she’ll mail me souvenirs once she gets back, I’m not one for the beach either.” Donghyuck smirks as he nudges Mark’s shoulder causing the latter to gag on his drink again. “What about you, any plans?”</p><p>“I’m spending tomorrow with Johnny and Ten at their place, third wheeling it out through dinner. So…” </p><p>“Mark, are you asking me to join your dinner party?” Donghyuck asks, they’ve got their signature glint in their eyes as they lift an eyebrow. “Because that’s very cute.”</p><p>“It’s not a dinner party, it’s just a dinner!” Mark argues animatedly upon hiding his face in his hands, not letting the other boy see his cheeks burn to the shame shade of rouge as his own beanie.</p><p>“You know I’ll still say yes.”</p><p>“So you’re coming?”</p><p>“Of course you dumbass.” </p><p>So perhaps Mark has an idea.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>☆</p>
</div>“I have a plus one for tomorrow.”<p>“A plus one? You asked Donghyuck out officially?”</p><p>“No hyung! He’s just a friend.”</p><p>“Donghyuck is definitely not ‘just a friend’, it’s so obvious.”</p><p>“Ten, you’re not helping either.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>☆</p>
</div>Okay so there’s something special about Johnny and Ten’s Greenwich apartment. Now, perhaps it’s the fact that they don’t have to break their wallets renting an apartment in perhaps one of the more expensive neighborhoods in the city to make sure Ten makes it to all of their morning lectures. Or perhaps it’s just the amount of love they’ve poured into the place, decorating the 350 square feet studio into something close to home.<p>Mark’s not quite sure but everytime he takes off his shoes at the door and stares at the array of framed pictures in the makeshift hallway that the two crafted together, he can’t help but melt into a puddle of goo. There are perks to having a photography degree, Mark thinks as he looks at the portraits of all the people in Johnny’s life, moments frozen in black and white on this creme wall. </p><p>Then there’s the little kitchen that they have, with the chestnut colored cupboards and half-working tap. Mark knows they never cook but the ancient white fridge displays Ten’s scrunched up sketches of wild flowers and dessert butterflies that Johnny finds when doing laundry and if that isn’t the peak of being sentimental, Mark isn’t sure what is. There’s warmth in this place and it’s not just from the light falling in from the southern facing windows that lead to their little balcony-slash-garden outside. </p><p>“Mark!” Ten greets him upon opening the door, they frown when they notice that Donghyuck isn’t beside the younger boy.</p><p>“He’ll be here in a bit, he had some errands to run, Yangyang forgot to get toilet paper before leaving for Taiwan.” Mark announces before promptly handing a casserole dish to Ten’s hands, look, he tried. He had followed all of the instructions Lucas had written down for his famous tom yum lasagna fusion dish  (Mark confirms that it does work, for some very odd reasons.) and when he’d taken a bite earlier, it’d tasted alright. </p><p>“Yukhei’s recipe?” Johnny asks from the dining table, upon walking in the apartment, Mark can immediately smell the scent of Peking duck from their favorite place in Chinatown and the following aroma of its accompanying sauces. An array of preserved vegetables, (otherwise known as the closest thing any of will get to eating vegetables on Christmas weekend) from his own mother’s homemade radish kimchi to Ten’s attempt at making pickled shallots, decorate the kitchen island slash dining table. </p><p>“Yup, he left a handwritten copy of it. Very dramatic.” Mark nods as he places two boxes beside the miniature Christmas tree that Ten had convinced Johnny to take from a dumpster project from one of their classmates. It’s a long story but Mark’s been told it more than once, it’s interesting to say the very least.</p><p>“Be honest, is it any good?” Johnny questions as he pokes the aluminum cover with his chopstick, strands of melted cheese sticking to the top. </p><p>“It’s not that bad!” Mark insists as he removes his coat and places it on the sofa upon noticing the absence of the hanger that usually makes it home near the entrance of the studio. “Where’s the-“</p><p>“It snapped, finally had enough of the Gorilla Glue.” Ten informs him before ushering him to his chair, tired of seeing Mark loitering around the apartment. “How about you help set the dishes?” </p><p>It takes about fifteen more minutes and the doorman rings the intercom to inquire about a scrawny Lee Donghyuck in skinny ripped jeans entering the building for Mark to finally stop fretting. For a moment there he thought he’d been ghosted and that yes, he would live the rest of his life knowing that he’d been ditched on Christmas eve. </p><p>“Hyung, you’re making cookies?” Mark asks, eyeing the oven of which its lights are surprisingly blaring red for once, “Didn’t you already make some yesterday?” </p><p>“Yeah, and for your information I made a peppermint yule log yesterday not cookies.” Johnny corrects him with a serious look on his face, but they both know he’s only joking. “Double chocolate chip just how I like it.” </p><p>“How many cups did you put in there?” Ten asks from the only other room in the vicinity, his voice sounds strained as he shifts around several things in there, “I told you to not change the recipe too much, that Tasty one already has like 50% sugar content or something.” </p><p>“I added one cup.” Johnny says loudly to ensure that his boyfriend can hear him properly before lifting up two fingers for Mark to see. Mark, of course, sighs as he takes out several plates and bowls from the cabinets to set across.</p><p>Before Ten can affirm his suspicions, there’s pounding at the door and Mark leaps to his feet. No more interrogations on his part and he can finally see Donghyuck wither in pain as Johnny and Ten bombard them with their armada of inquiries, that some might say are borderline invasive.</p><p>“Hi, let me in?” Donghyuck asks upon Mark unlocking the front door, he’s looking particularly eclectic in a red dragon print Hawaiian shirt with his trademark ripped skinny jeans, a very distinctly Donghyuck Christmas look. In his arm a thick padded coat, Mark shakes his head as he takes it from the younger boy’s hands and welcomes him inside. To say that Donghyuck is the master of being fashionably late would be an understatement.</p><p>Dinner goes swimmingly, or as swimmingly as Mark likes to think. They trade stories about finals weeks, about how it’s Mark and Donghyuck’s first and one of the last Johnny and Ten will have. Although Mark gets a little lost with all the art school terminology the others use, Donghyuck always makes it a point to explain them, even if they are served with a fresh side of sarcasm.</p><p>It’s kind of awkward at first, afterall the four of them have never really arranged to sit down and talk, especially not for the holidays. But the moment Donghyuck busts out his ‘secret’ ramen (Mark knows it’s just Shin ramyun with a secret spice blend but he’s not going to spoil the fun. Not tonight at least.) and begins chattering about how Mark’s dressed so plainly tonight, all the awkwardness seeps out the door. </p><p>They fit, it’s a nice sort of dinner, they make do with the mismatched assortment of food they’ve all brought together and cut Johnny’s yule log. Ten gives it a five and both Mark and Donghyuck burst into laughter as they see Johnny dramatically burst out to the mini patio in fake fury. It wasn’t that bad, it just happened to taste exactly like cutting into a tube of chocolate toothpaste.</p><p>And when they all, and by that, all of them, finish washing the dishes, they make their way to the makeshift living room that surrounds the small fireplace in the center of the apartment. There’s a tiny fire going that Mark observes, the sound of it crackling is oddly comforting as Lofi Christmas beats plays from the speaker perched above the mantle. He closes his eyes and sends a silent prayer that Donghyuck likes his gift because he sure did spend an awful lot of time picking it out.</p><p>“Gifts?” Donghyuck suggests as he takes out three obnoxious Christmas gift bags and hands them to the recipients individually. He looks smug almost as he sees the others open them. </p><p>Mark can only gasp when he pulls out a tie dyed hoodie from the bag, it’s strange to see that Donghyuck’s gifted him one considering how often they complain about how he strictly wears them. He chuckles as he grazes his hand across the fabric before flipping it to see the front where on the breast pocket is a hand stitched picture of a red and green slice of watermelon flipping the finger. It’s kitschy and honest to god idiotic but it’s sweet, mainly because it reminds him of a time they’ve shared.</p><p>“Do you like it?” Donghyuck asks, his voice is plain but Mark knows that they’re just trying to mask their slight nervousness.</p><p>“I love it, it’s fucking stupid but I love it.” Mark laughs as he hugs the hoodie to his chest, “Did you make it?”</p><p>“Look I was on a time crunch so if me buying an old hoodie from Goodwill, washing it, patched it up, dyeing and stitching the design and poking myself at 2 AM with a needle qualifies as me making it, then yes, I made it.”</p><p>Now it’s Mark’s turn to nudge Donghyuck, or whatever that measly attempt to pin him to the ground was as Ten and Johnny exclaim in joy as they open their own gifts, being a scarf that seems to be woven out of some magic substance from a fantasy movie and a mustard turtleneck that’s ripped at the bottom. Both he supposes are pieces that stem from their own inside jokes with Donghyuck.</p><p>Johnny and Ten both decide to give them gift cards because frankly, college boys are hard to shop for and Mark appreciates it. He’ll definitely splurge on the branded wet wipes and not the Target ones next time he goes. It’s things like this he wouldn’t understand back home but now that he’s on his own, he finds it extremely helpful. </p><p>Mark takes in a deep breath before handing his own striped gift bag to Donghyuck and the wrapped box to Johnny and Ten. He’s never been one to be extremely confident with gifts so these were really a shot in the dark.</p><p>“Hey Mark, we’ll open it on the patio, you guys can have some space.” Johnny says after a moment upon noticing the expression on his younger brother’s face, an equally cheeky grin on his face. </p><p>“Hyung-“</p><p>“Bye Mark!” Ten adds. So perhaps this hadn’t been a good idea anyways.</p><p>It’s frankly bizarre to think that Mark has known Donghyuck for three weeks and yet it feels like they’ve known each other for a lifetime. College is weird like that but Mark is by no way complaining because as annoying Donghyuck might get, he’s glad that they had met. Sure, he still can’t remove that shit colored coffee stain from his sweater from the incident but it’s still there in the back of his dresser. Unmoved.</p><p>“So what’d you get me?” Donghyuck asks as he begins pulling out the tissue paper before fishing out a cassette tape, “Whoa, I haven’t seen one of these in a while.”</p><p>“Okay so that’s a song.”</p><p>“A song?” Donghyuck asks, well shrieks, as he reads off the small piece of paper taped in front of it. “I don’t have a cassette player.”</p><p>“Renjun has one, borrow it from him.” Mark suggests sarcastically much to Donghyuck’s annoyance. </p><p>“Asshole, that’s what you are.” Donghyuck sticks out his tongue as his hands press random buttons to the foreign contraption.</p><p>“I made you a song.” Mark deadpans as he runs a hand through his hair, a strand falling out. Stress, he supposes. “And a letter.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, what’s it about?” Donghyuck brushes it off as he tries his very best not to blush, hand still searching the bag for the letter in question. He finds it after a moment, it’s got a picture of a watercolor sunflower in front and at that Donghyuck bites his lip.</p><p>“Read the damn letter, Lee.” </p><p>“Jeez alright!” </p><p>A slight breeze passes from the open window, and from where they’re sat on the rug, Mark can see that the first snow has arrived, falling from the sky like powdered sugar on those donuts he loves from the bakery down the street from his place. It’s slightly chilly but with the fire in front of them, he finds balance.</p><p>“Mark? Do you mean it?” </p><p>“Oh. Well if I didn’t I wouldn’t exactly write it, wouldn’t I?” Mark laughs anxiously, as he inches closer to Donghyuck.</p><p>“I guess you wouldn’t huh.” Donghyuck chuckles, scoffing slightly.</p><p>“So, how about it?” </p><p>“How about what?” The younger boy pertains but Mark knows they’re just teasing him at this point. </p><p>“Hyuck, I-“</p><p>“Just say it!” </p><p>“Okay fine, if you want to take this the hard way,” Mark huffs in annoyance before bending to his knee causing Donghyuck to fall to the ground crying in joy.</p><p>“Will you, Donghyuck, be my boyfriend?” </p><p>But before Donghyuck even has the chance to respond, the resounding pop of a champagne bottle opening can be heard from outside on the patio, followed by Ten Lee’s maniacal laughter.</p><p>“Jesus Christ, yes, I will.” Donghyuck rolls his eyes as the smile on his mouth widens, “Don’t make me regret this.”</p><p>“Shouldn’t I be saying that?” Mark offers cheekily with one side of lips tilting upwards, maybe Christmas miracles do happen because as Donghyuck leans in to peck his cheek as the snow outside falls even harder, all he feels is sunshine.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>☆</p>
</div>Dear Donghyuck,<p>I’m not going to be cheesy and say that this song took me all night because it didn’t. I slept well last night, really well might I add. </p><p>But that’s only because I’ve written so much more melodies and lyrics than I have in a while these past few weeks we’ve been hanging out. This is just one of the few I’ve fine tuned. </p><p>I know you can’t listen to this right now and I’m probably scared as fuck too, I’ll just write it here so you have further evidence that yes, I, made the first move. So, Lee Donghyuck, will you be my boyfriend?</p><p>Anyways, I hope you like it. Merry Christmas.</p><p>Always, Mark.</p>
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